This Week on Broadway – Supergirl on Broadway / 05.14.18

To Kill a Mockingbird Producers Reach Settlement

Producer Scott Rudin and the estate of late To Kill a Mockingbird novelist Harper Lee have reached an agreement in the ongoing litigation concerning the stage treatment for the upcoming Broadway production of the 1960 literary classic. “Rudinplay and the Estate of Nelle Harper Lee amicably settled ongoing litigation concerning the upcoming Broadway production of To Kill a Mockingbird,” read a statement released on behalf of both parties, “The production will proceed on schedule.” Performances will begin November 1 at the Shubert Theatre (the current home of Hello, Dolly!). Opening night is set for December 13. Jeff Daniels will star as Atticus Finch in the Bartlett Sher-helmed production. More details here.

The new Broadway production of Mark Medoff’s Tony-winning 1980 play Children of a Lesser God will play its final performance at Studio 54 on May 27. The news comes after the play only received one Tony nomination and has had struggling grosses. The revival stars Joshua Jackson and Lauren Ridloff, who received a Tony nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play. This is the first show to announce its closing after the Tony nominations were announced on May 1. More details here.

Melissa Benoist, who currently stars in the title role of The CW’s hit show, Supergirl, will make her Broadway debut as Carole King this summer in Broadway’s hit, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Benoist will begin performances on June 7 and will play a limited run through August 4th. Prior to Supergirl, Benoist appeared on the FOX series Glee, playing transfer student Marley Rose. Her additional screen credits include Whiplash and crossover episodes of Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, and Arrow. Benoist will succeed longtime Carole King Chillina Kennedy, who first took over the role from Tony winner Jessie Mueller in March 2015. More details here.

National Tours have been announced for 2 current Broadway shows – the Tony-nominated Mean Girls, a stage adaptation of author Tina Fey’s 2004 film, and the Lincoln Center Theater revival of Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady, also Tony-nominated. The tours for both productions are set to launch in fall 2019. Exact dates and cities, as well as casting, will be announced at a later date. The current Broadway production of Mean Girls is up for 12 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, while My Fair Lady is up for 10 Tonys, including Best Musical Revival. More details here.